OBSERVED: I saw something very tall and dark cross the road ahead of my car. It was about 7 or 8 feet tall because it was taller than the sign there at the bridge, at least head and shoulders taller. I was heading to Marshall, and I saw movement on the side of the road. I slowed cause I thought it might be a deer. I was about 100 yards away when it stepped up on the road. It crossed the highway in three strides and went in to the bush as I passed by. It was almost dark and I couldn't see too well, but I did stop there just past the second bridge heading east. I got out and looked but it was gone. There was a trail where the water had dripped off it though: it was kind of flooded there I guess it was crossing the water through the woods there. There was a foul smell like a dead animal but i didn't see any there by the road. I stood there for about a minute I guess, i didn't see anything else but I did feel like it was there in the brush looking at me though. I got in my car and left.

ALSO NOTICED: Just the trail of water that had dripped off of it as it crossed the road. I thought I heard it breathing, but I'm not really sure. There was a foul smell in the air, like a dead animal.

OTHER WITNESSES: None.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 5:45 pm

ENVIRONMENT: Swampy, wooded areas. Some open fields in the area.

Follow-up investigation report:

I met with witness at his home April 17th, 2003. We visited a while getting to know each other and were comfortable that we could trust and believe each other.

About the witness: He is 37 years old, large man who is very woods wise. He has been a hunter all his life and has spent much more time in the woods than the average person. He has hunted and harvested most North American game including Louisiana alligators, Elk and even a Grizzly Bear. His hunting stories are very believable without exaggeration.

We went to the site together to get a better feel for the sighting. We drove into site to get a GPS measuring for correct distances. Sighting was on Hwy 154 east bound from Harleton Texas en route to Marshall Texas.

Witness was driving home from a job site, in a hurry at dusk. Sun was just setting and he had his bright lights on. At a distance of approximately 300 to 350 yards he noticed movement coming up steep bank on his right. Large animal loped onto and across the road in three steps. Surprised that it was running on two legs, long arms swinging, slight glance his way exposing only one eye to headlight reflection. Eye reflected red for a very brief split second. Witness was now trying to stop. His vehicle came to a stop approximately 20 yards past where the animal crossed. He jumped out and ran back to crossing site. Found 3-foot wide trail of water across road where animal crossed, no visible footprints as the water was too heavy from pouring off the animal. Looking out in the woods where it had gone, an overpowering dead animal smell came his way. The wind was blowing from where the animal went. Witness then had the feeling that he was being watched by something considerably larger than himself and that he was standing there unarmed. At this point common sense took over and he ran for his vehicle and left. Up to this point he had never been afraid of anything in the woods.

More details: Little Cypress Bayou was in flood stage at time of sighting. There was evidence of game trail leading from woods next to Bayou down deep ditch and up built up road embankment. While water was at normal level today, it was evident that water level at that crossing was 4 1/2 to 5 feet deep during flood stage. Animal had to be soaked well over half its body coming through accounting for so much water trail across road. Height of "Little Cypress Bayou" sign was 10 feet. Sign was set off road down embankment approximately 1 1/2 feet. Animal appeared to be taller than sign but was bounding as it ran across road giving credence that it was in the 8-foot tall neighborhood.

This sighting is within 10 miles of other Harrison county sightings. Little Cypress Bayou joins Big Cypress Bayou that terminates in Caddo Lake which all have had sightings. Area is sparsely populated due to being swampy flood plain.